This invention relates generally to fishing gear and more particularly to a harness arrangement for securing a crawfish on a fishhook to serve as bait.
Although it has long been known that fresh water fish feed on crawfish (sometimes known as "crawdads"), the use of crawfish as fishing bait has been inhibited by the difficulty that is involved in securing the crawfish on a fishhook. If the fishhook is simply hooked through the crawfish, the bait can easily slip off of the hook. If the crawfish is hooked through the mouth area, natural movement of the bait is prevented, and this significantly detracts from its ability to attract fish.
Accordingly, it is evident that a need exists for a device to securely and effectively attach a crawfish to a fishhook so that the crawfish can be used as fishing bait. It is the primary goal of the present invention to meet that need.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a harness device which acts in conjunction with a conventional fishhook to secure crawfish on the fishhook for use as bait.
Another object of the invention is to provide a harness device which securely maintains the crawfish in place on the fishhook and yet permits the crawfish to move naturally. In this regard, it is an important feature of the invention that the harness device is constructed so that it can be attached to the body of the crawfish behind the legs so that the legs and pincer arms are unobstructed and can be used in the normal way by the crawfish. Consequently, the bait is able to move naturally and is effective in attracting fish. At the same, the fishhook is hooked through the tail of the bait where it is able to effectively hook fish that take the bait.
A further object of the invention is to provide a harness device of the character described which can be quickly and easily attached to the bait and yet securely maintains the bait on the fishhook. An elastic cord attaches the wire body of the harness to the body of the crawfish and is applied by stretching it around the crawfish and engaging one end of the cord in a notch formed on one end of the harness body. The ends of the cord are provided with rigid collars which act against the harness body to maintain the cord under tension so that it remains firmly in place on the crawfish.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a harness device of the character described which cooperates with the fishhook to maintain the bait in optimum position relative to the hook end of the fishhook. The wire harness body is constructed to receive and grip against the shank of the fishhook such that the shank extends along the body of the crawfish with the barbed end of the fishhook hooked through its tail. This keeps the crawfish securely in place at the proper position on the fishhook without unduly restricting movement of the legs, arms or head of the crawfish.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a harness device of the character described which is suitable for use with crawfish that very widely in size. The elastic nature of the cord permits the harness to be applied to and securely retained on crawfish of various sizes, and the versatility of the device is enhanced accordingly.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a harness device of the character described which is simple and economical to construct and light in weight. The wire construction of the harness body gives it a light weight and a low manufacturing cost because the wire itself is inexpensive and can be easily bent into the necessary shape without the need for expensive equipment.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.